OVERVIEW OF THE CLINICAL TRANSLATIONAL CORE AND IMPORTANCE OF THE CORE TO THE RESEARCH EFFORT We have identified the critical requirement to have a clinical translational core within the CCNE to coordinate application of our nanotechnologies to patient blood samples already collected and archived by other efforts. This core was not part of the original CCNE, but as we have started to apply our technologies to clinical specimens we feel it is an important core going forward in our renewal. For both blood protein biomarker and circulating tumor cell studies, the goal of this core is to utilize specimens already collected and prospectively being collected by other efforts (e.g., NCI ICMIC P50) in a systematic fashion with our nano-sensors being developed in RP2 and RP3. In addition, for the in vivo molecular imaging studies (endoscopic Raman imaging, photoacoustic molecular imaging) the goal of this core is to work with the NCI nanocharacterization labs and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in order to translate our nanoparticles into future clinical molecular imaging trials. Note, it is not the purpose of this core to actually collect samples from patients or to perform clinical trials, but just to facilitate clinical translation of nanotechnologies developed in the CCNE. Note also that the CCNE mechanism does not allow funding for prospective clinical trials, but by having this core we can bridge to other funded activities as well as apply for new funding for our clinical trials, to which we are whole-heartedly committed. In addition, the Canary Foundation is providing significant funding (in excess of $3IVI) for clinical trials for early cancer detection and providing partial funding for this and other cores (see Appendix 1 and letter of support).